Improvement in vehicle-brakes



J. A. KIRBY.

Vehicle-Brake.

No. 205,872. Pate nted July 9, 1878'.

Jay. 1.

EXPHESS m ll N.FE!ERS. FNOYD-LITHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNIT D STATES PATENT ()FFIGE.

JAMES A. KIRBY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TVO-TIIIRDS HIS RIGHT TO DANIEL J. AVERY AND JOSEPH \V. TAFT, 0F SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN VEHICLE-BRAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,872, dated July 9, 187 application filed September 24, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. KIRBY, of the city of Chicago, Cook county, State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Brakes for Vehicles, of which the following is a full description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1. is a side elevation with one of the rear wheels removed. Fig. 2 is a bottom view.

The object of this invention is to provide a brake to be used upon vehicles, which shall be almost instantaneous in its action, and which can be easily operated; and in its nature consists in connecting the brake-bar with the axle by means of coil-springs so arranged that the action of the springs will set or apply the brakes, suitable devices being used for keeping the brake off when the vehicle is running; and in an improved construction of the spring supports or connections.

In the drawings, A represents the body of a wagon; B, the front wheels; 0, the front axle; D, the rear wheels; E, the rear axle; F, the brake-bar; G, the hangers for suspendin g the brake-bar from the body; a, the brakeshoes; I), the eyebolts; a, the loops or staples connected with the brake-bar; d, the springs; e, the loops or staples secured to the rear axle; j, the arms; g, the levers; h, the ears or supports for the levers g t, the connectingrods; j, the hand-lever; k, the rod; l, the crank; m, the bearings for the rod is; n, the notch or catch with which the leverj engages.

The body A, wheels 13 and D, and axles O and E may be of any of the ordinary forms, and the other parts necessary to make a complete wagon are to be applied; but as these parts may be of the usual construction, they are neither shown nor described.

The brake-bar F, as shown, consists of a single straight bar located beneath the body of the wagon, from which it is suspended by means of the hangers or rods G, which rods are connected to the body and bar so as to permit the bar to swing forward and back to some extent. The brakeshoes a may be of any suitable construction, and they are secured near the outer ends of the brake-bar at the proper point for engaging with the wheels.

The eyebolts b, as shown, pass through the brake-bar F, and are provided with a screwthread, so that by means of a nut their position may be changed to give the proper tension to the coiled springs. In the eye of the bolt 1) is secured the staple or loop 0, and another staple or eye. 6, is secured to or around the rear axle. The staples c 0 pass inside of the coil-springs (I, and their ends are bent outward, or otherwise provided with devices by means of which the coil-sprin g will be held securely in position, but so as to permit of its operation. Two coil-springs, with their connecting devices, are used, one on each side, as shown in Fig. 2.

Near the ends of the rear axle E are secured arms or bars f, each of which projects forward, and is curved or bent so as to be lower than the brake-bar, and to the front end of each arm f is pivoted the lower end of the lever g, which lever is pivoted near its center in ears h, which ears are secured to the brake-bar F. To the upper end of each lever g,is secured a rod, t, which extends forward beneath or at the sides of the wagon, the forward end of one rod being secured to the hand or foot lever j, and the forward end of the other rod being secured to the crank I, both the crank and lever being located or formed on the rod k, which rod is supported in suitable bearings m secured to the bottom of the wagon-body.

A suitable device is to be provided to hold the lever, which may be a simple notch, u, as shown, or a pin, rack, or other devices.

In use, when the parts are in the position shown, the brake is applied. To release the brake, the driver takes hold of the lever j and moves it forward until it engages with the notch 11, when the brake-bar F will be drawn forward, and with it the shoes a, releasing the brake. To apply the brake, all that is necessary is for the driver to release the lever j from the notch 21, when the springs dwill instantly force the shoes against the wheels.

By using springs for the power the brake will be applied the instant the lever is released, which, when sudden stoppages are required, as is sometimes the case, is very desirable.

This brake can be applied to-vehicles having four wheels by applying it to the rear wheels, or to vehicles liming only two rheels, and it can be applied t) all vehicles without any change in their loaning-gear L1 other parts. I prefer to use the form of spring shown, in hich the spring is contracted when the brake not in use, i s such spring will always be eady for use. A coil-spring operiting by xpansien might be used; but such springs re liable to lIPt verstrained in adjust he; them, lltl are more liable to lose part of t ieir force y long; use.

1 have SllOWl two springs, 01 e on each side f the wagon, w ith devices for operating them, and such arra itement is the best; but it is vidcnt that a single spring hay in: more power could be in ed, surh spring being located entrally, espefially for axles on king-bolts o1 1 ivots. The position of the parts 11 hling the spring may bt hanged, the eycbtlt 0 being located in the axle instead of the brakebar, and other forms ofeonnetting-pieces than the loops 0 0 may he used, sln'h as straight rorls with crosshars, cap, or collars at the ends of the springs.

1 am aware that a section of an elliptic spring placed in the rear of the axle has been used to apply brakes to wagons, and hence do not claim, broadly, the application of springs to a wagon-brake; but

\Vhat I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters 1: tent, is-

1. The rail k, having the lever j and crank I, in combination with the rods '6, levers g,arms f, and brake-bar F, operated by spring-power at each end of the brake-oar, for holding the brake-bar aul shoes away from the wheels, substantially as specified.

2. The herfin-described Brake, consisting of the bat F, umnecting-rods, and springs, in combination with the arms f, rods 2, shaft 1:, and layer j, substantially as described.

.l AM ES A. Klltlli'.

\Vit nesses;

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